Noob: What is a slot? Me trying to understand another's code

[Wildemar Wildenburger]

Carnell, James E wrote:
> 
> I am thinking about purchasing a book, but wanted to make sure I could
> get through the code that implements what the book is about (Artificial
> Intelligence a Modern Approach). Anyway, I'm not a very good programmer
> and OOP is still sinking in, so please don't answer my questions like I
> really know anything.
> 
> MY QUESTION:
> What is a slot? In class Object below the __init__ has a slot.  Note:
> The slot makes use of a data object called 'percept' that is used in the
> TableDrivenAgent(Agent) at the bottom of this post. I am guessing this
> is a type of Finite State Machine (I haven't bought the book yet so I am
> guessing).
> 
I really have a hard time grasping what it is you don't understand (the 
annoying thing about not understanding stuff is that you usually lack 
the proper terms to explain what you don't understand, precisely 
_because_ you don't understand it ;)).

At first I thought you were talking about __slots__, as explained in the 
docs <URL:http://docs.python.org/ref/slots.html>.

> [but some snipped code later you say:]
> 
> ##################### HERE IS THE SLOT #######################
> 
>     def __init__(self):
>         def program(percept):
>             return raw_input('Percept=%s; action? ' % percept)
>         self.program = program
>         self.alive = True
> 

That is "simply" a special method (namely the one that is called after 
instance creation so you can set up the instance variables).
<nagging>You should really know that.<\nagging>
Lookie here: <URL:http://docs.python.org/ref/customization.html>

Did that do it? Sorry, I have big trouble looking at long listings and 
figuring out their meaning. If that didn't help, try reformulating your 
question (please).

/W